Ripley County Chamber of Commerce Awards

Winners of the 2018 Ripley County Chamber of Commerce Awards

2018 Ripley County Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year

ED CUMMINGS JR.

Ed Cummings has been married to his wife Amy for 23 years. They have 3 children, Eddie and Emma who are 18-year-old twins and John age 17. Ed began working with McDonald’s Corporation where he began his training to become a McDonald’s Franchisee. Ed purchased his first restaurant with his father in 1989. In 1991, Ed and his father purchased the Batesville, IN restaurant. Ed built his first restaurant in Versailles, IN in 1994. In 2002, Ed build the Greendale, IN restaurant.

Ed’s favorite Ray Kroc quote is “None of us is as good as all of us.”

Ed Cummings – 2018 Ripley County Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year

2018 Ripley County Chamber of Commerce Hometown Heroes

BEN AND SHELLY EISERT

SHELLY

Shelly Eisert is a 1999 graduate of Batesville High School. Shelly is an experienced educator, nurse clinician, and researcher. She has earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree, a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree, and a Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) degree. She is a Registered Nurse (R.N.) and Family Nurse Practitioner (F.N.P.). Shelly serves as a Professor of Nursing at Ivy Tech Community College and she works as a nurse practitioner for Margaret Mary Health.

Shelly commissioned into the Army Nurse Corps in 2008. She holds the rank of Major. Her primary assignment is with the 801st Combat Support Hospital, Indianapolis, IN. She completed additional duties assignments, including Unit Prevention Leader for the Army Substance Abuse Program, Basic Life Support CPR Program Director, Army Sustainment Training Program (Medic Education) Instructor and Officer in Charge, Convoy Commander, and Range Safety Officer for the M16 and 9M ranges. In 2013, while assigned to the 396th Combat Support Hospital, Vancouver, WA, she deployed overseas aboard the Australian Navy ship, HMAS Tobruk, to provide nursing education and nursing care to residents of Papua New Guinea. In 2018, she deployed with the 75th Combat Support Hospital, Tuscaloosa, AL as a nurse practitioner to the Middle East (Kuwait and Jordan) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Spartan Shield). Throughout her military career, Major Eisert has earned the National Defense Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for Former Wartime Service (SSI-FWTS), known as the Combat Patch; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Mobilization Device; Four Army Commendation Medals; Four Army Reserve Component Achievement Medals; Two Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbons; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and Army Achievement Medal. She continues as a reservist the United States Army.

Shelly resides in Batesville with her husband Ben. Ben and Shelly enjoy spending time with their nieces and nephews.

BEN

Benjamin Eisert is a 1998 graduate of Batesville High School and a 2013 graduate of Ivy Tech Community College’s Associate of Applied Science in Industrial Technology. Ben is employed by the City of Batesville in the Wastewater Treatment Department.

Ben enlisted in the Army in 2008 as a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic. He holds the rank of Sergeant. His primary assignment is with the 801st Combat Support Hospital, Indianapolis, IN. In 2017-2018, he deployed with the 410th Medical Logistics Company, Milwaukee, WI, to the Middle East (Kuwait and Iraq) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Spartan Shield). He has completed additional duty assignments including Military Vehicle Driver’s Training Instructor, Truck Commander for Convoys, Ammunition Supply and Collection Point, Shipping and Receiving of Medical Supplies; Hazardous Material Management, Vehicle Maintenance and Dispatch, Facility Maintenance, and Fire Marshal. Throughout his military career, Sergeant Eisert has earned the National Defense Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Mobilization Device; Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for Former Wartime Service (SSI-FWTS), known as the Combat Patch; Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon. He continues as a reservist in the United States Army.

Ben resides in Batesville with his wife Shelly. Ben enjoys serving as a volunteer firefighter for the City of Batesville Fire Department and Morris Volunteer Fire Department.

2018 Ripley County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year

BARRY LAUBER

Barry lives in Holton with his wife Cindy. They have 3 children, Ryan, Ashlee and Andrea, along with 11 grandchildren.

Barry has been employed by Southeastern Indiana REMC since 1977. He currently serves as their Director of Marketing – Key Accts – Business Development.

He also has a 550 acre grain farm that he operates with his son, Ryan.

Barry has been extremely involved with the community. He currently serves on the Ripley County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Ripley County Economic Development Board, Ripley County Re-Development Commission Board as President, Ripley County Drug Awareness and Tobacco Cessation Executive Board. He served on the South Ripley School Board for 12 years, member of Indiana School Boards Association (6 years on the executive committee), and Served as ISBA President in that final year.

He is a member of the Lions Club, Mason Versailles lodge No. 7 member and has served as a Deacon of his home church – Hopewell Baptist.

Barry Lauber – 2018 Ripley County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year

2018 Ripley County Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year

GLENN UNKLESBAY

Glenn Unklesbay is the son of the late Ron and Ruby Unklesbay of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. He started playing drums at age 12, a passion he still carries today. He performs with the “After Hours Big Band” based in Fairfield, Ohio. After High School, Glenn served two years as a Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sapporo, Japan. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Murray State University and a Master of Educational Administration degree from Xavier University. His career has included teaching in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana and eleven years in business including outside sales and trucking.

Glenn is in his sixteenth year as the Band Director at Jac Cen Del where he has enjoyed remarkable success. With over 25% of the school’s population in band, and being the largest student organization at Jac Cen Del, the band under his direction consistently leads the region is size and quality of performance.

Mr. Unklesbay is married to the former Susan Sackenheim from Hamilton, Ohio. They are the parents of six children. Sarah of Eagle Mountain, Utah, Adrienne of Louisville, Kentucky, Ethan in Provo, Utah, Andrew, a student at Brigham Young University Idaho, Dan, a student at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and Lydia, currently enrolled at The Ohio State University.